Disney's Soundsational Summer campaign kicks off with the opening of two new theme park rides -- a revamped "Star Tours" at both Orlando's Walt Disney World and Anaheim's Disneyland, and the addition of a new "The Little Mermaid" ride at California Advent... Read More »

June 10, 2011

Disney raising ticket prices for second time in less than a year

Walt Disney World announced Friday that it is raising ticket prices — by more than 10 percent in at least one case — in the resort's second round of price increases in less than a year.
Effective Sunday, the base price of a one-day ticket will rise fro... Read More »

June 03, 2011

3-D 'Star Wars' Theme Park Attraction

mong “Star Wars” fans, the most vivid depiction of the icy planet of Hoth, the lush jungles of Kashyyyk and the underwater Gungan world on Naboo exist on celluloid.
These fictional fixtures of the “Star Wars” galaxy just became more real with Star Tour... Read More »

There we were, creeping gingerly on a dilapidated rope bridge a few yards above hippos and crocodiles. “Stop shaking the bridge,” the person in front of me yelled as the bridge swung and shook. On the far side of the croc pool we could see elephants and a... Read More »

March 25, 2011

New line for old ride is window to Disney's future

The future of Walt Disney World can be glimpsed in one of the resort's oldest rides.
By the end of the month, Disney plans to debut a redesigned queue for the Haunted Mansion, the classic dark ride that is one of the Magic Kingdom's original attraction... Read More »

March 17, 2011

Disney donates $2.5 million for Japan earthquake relief

The Walt Disney Co. is donating at least $2.5 million to relief efforts after last week's earthquake and tsunami in Japan, where its theme parks remain closed, the company announced Tuesday.
The company also promised to match employees' donations to tw... Read More »

We’ve all been stuck waiting in line to enter a theme park behind that guy who just can’t seem to figure out how a turnstile works. We think, “Why did I get in this line?” while all the others seem to move so much faster. Today Disney is showing off a new... Read More »

March 13, 2011

Disney: Pricing Levels yet to recover

Ever since the Walt Disney Co. began aggressively discounting to keep its theme parks full during the global recession, analysts have been wondering how long it will take Disney to return to full pricing.
Although Walt Disney Parks and Resorts recently... Read More »

March 10, 2011

Disney World to End Grad Nite After this Year

Walt Disney World is ending its annual Grad Nite festivities for high school seniors from around the country after this year because of concerns about scheduling and handling extra spring attendance at the Florida theme park.
Officials at the park anno... Read More »

March 10, 2011

Disney World turns 40, churns souvenirs

Walt Disney World turns 40 later this year. What are you going to get?
Oh, but not as a gift to Disney. I mean, what do you get the theme park that has everything? The question is what 40th-anniversary souvenir would you want to purchase?
The goods... Read More »

February 22, 2011

Disney NextGen could be the ticket

And its capital spending this year is on pace to well exceed the $1.5 billion it spent in 2010. Included in this year's costs are the final payment on new mega-cruise ship the Disney Dream along with the construction of Aulani, a hotel and timeshare set t... Read More »

February 17, 2011

Disney says guests will be able to reserve ride times from home

Future visitors to Walt Disney World will be able to reserve ride times from their home computers and bypass hotel check-in desks once they arrive at the resort, the head of the Walt Disney Co.'s global theme-park division said during an investors confere... Read More »

February 09, 2011

Theme-park rebound propels Disney profits

A rebound in its theme parks during the final three months of 2010 helped propel the Walt Disney Co. to 54 percent quarterly profit growth, the company announced Tuesday.
Disney said it made $1.3 billion for the three months that ended Jan. 1, the firs... Read More »

February 09, 2011

Disney workers to protest contract talks

Some members of Walt Disney World's Service Trades Council, a coalition of unions representing more than 20,000 full-time workers at the giant resort, will stage a demonstration this afternoon to protest stalled contract negotiations with the company.
... Read More »

January 23, 2011

Star Tours ride to reopen May 20

Almost overlooked amid the hoopla surrounding the debut of the Disney Dream cruise ship and new details of its Fantasyland expansion, Walt Disney World confirmed last week that Star Tours, the popular Disney's Hollywood Studios simulator ride, will reopen... Read More »

January 20, 2011

Stars of this trek: Animals, experiences

Dangling above a hippopotamus was not on my bucket list. But then, several unlikely things happened during my preview of WildAfrica Trek, a tour that debuted this week at Disney's Animal Kingdom.
The new experience takes theme-park guests off the beate... Read More »

January 20, 2011

Disney Fantasyland to Feature 'Snow White' Indoor Roller Coaster

Walt Disney World said this week it is going to build a new indoor roller coaster in the Magic Kingdom to expand on the park’s Fantasyland area.
At the Orlando, Florida theme park, “The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train” will be the new attraction and will featu... Read More »

January 19, 2011

Disney unveils new Fantasyland expansion details

Walt Disney World said Tuesday it will build a new indoor roller coaster in the Magic Kingdom as part of its expansion of the theme park's Fantasyland section.
Dubbed ``The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train,'' the moderately intense attraction will feature a fir... Read More »

January 19, 2011

Disney Unveils Plans to Nearly Double the Size of its FantasyLand

Disney has announced plans to expand its FantasyLand section of its theme park, as unveiled on Tuesday at an exclusive media event inside the Magic Kingdom that one of TheCelebrityCafe.com’s writers attended.
Walt Disney World will bring plans to build... Read More »

January 03, 2011

Smile! Your image is fair game at Orlando-area theme parks

Every day, Orlando theme-park guests snap thousands of photographs, capturing friends and family in front of countless landmarks, such as Epcot's Spaceship Earth or Hogwarts Castle at Universal's Islands of Adventure.
In the digital age, those images z... Read More »

January 02, 2011

Disney gets big boost from attraction aimed at little ones

Later this month, Disney theme parks in Florida and California will shut down "Playhouse Disney — Live on Stage," a 22-minute minute puppet show that has been performing for nine years. Workers will remove some characters, add new ones, repaint marquees a... Read More »

March 05, 2008

Disney's Animal Kingdom ride gets added safety features

Walt Disney World is tinkering with a roller coaster at Animal Kingdom to improve overall safety after the accidental death of an employee there last fall. Changes are being made in the entry and exit areas of Primeval Whirl -- including the installation... Read More »

February 26, 2008

Walt Disney Co. to sell time shares in 15-story tower next to Contemporary Resort

The Walt Disney Co. has won approval to begin selling time shares in a 15-story tower the company is erecting next to its famed Contemporary Resort, a $110 million addition that Disney has named "The Kingdom Tower." Disney has for months refused to divulg... Read More »

February 22, 2008

Disney World wins dismissal of lawsuit challenging Segway rule

A federal judge in Orlando has thrown out a lawsuit against Walt Disney World aimed at forcing the company to allow disabled visitors to ride two-wheeled Segways in its theme parks.... Read More »

February 19, 2008

Walt Disney World to rebuild Treehouse Villas

Hidden among the trees in an obscure part of Walt Disney World, one of Disney's more unusual and largely forgotten housing options is getting new life. The giant resort intends to tear down and replace Disney's Treehouse Villas, a community of 60 two-stor... Read More »

February 11, 2008

Safari at Animal Kingdom reopens after fire

The Kilimanjaro Safaris attraction at Disney's Animal Kingdom reopened on time this morning for normal operation after a truck engine fire closed the ride Sunday afternoon. The fire was caused by a damaged engine hose. The visitors riding in the vehicle w... Read More »

February 11, 2008

Fire on Disney ride leaves woman hurt

A fire Sunday on the Kilimanjaro Safari at Disney's Animal Kingdom left one woman slightly injured and the park's signature ride closed for the day, park officials said. Between 3 and 4 p.m. a fire broke out near the front of the truck. Three fire and med... Read More »

February 06, 2008

Mickey Mouse Invites Families to Celebrate the 'Year of the Mouse' at Disneyland Resort

It's a celebration that has Mickey Mouse's name written all over it ... well, half of his name, anyway. The most famous Mouse of all is inviting families to celebrate the Lunar New Year and Year of the Mouse at Disneyland Resort, the place "Where Dreams C... Read More »

January 23, 2008

Nintendo DS Used as Wireless Tool in Disney World

Looking for new ways to have guests interact with their theme parks, Disney's Imagineers have cooked up a new park information system. You might be wondering what news like this is doing on Nintendo World Report. The answer is simple, the Imagineers are u... Read More »

December 20, 2007

Disney World death on Everest roller coaster blamed on tourist's heart condition

The tourist who died this week on a roller coaster at Walt Disney World had a known heart condition and suffered from an enlarged heart, authorities said Wednesday. The Orange County Medical Examiner's Office said Wednesday that Jeffery C. Reeb died of d... Read More »

December 17, 2007

Walt Disney World named leading theme park resort in world

Walt Disney World, the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Carnival Corp. and Royal Caribbean International were among scores of winners of World Travel Awards announced recently.... Read More »

October 18, 2007

Disney VP's 'green' role gets bigger

When Beth Stevens left her rising career within traditional American zoos, she did so for the chance to become the executive leader and conscience of Walt Disney World's animal programs and conservation efforts. Now she's getting a chance to take on that... Read More »

October 08, 2007

Disney segues into Segway trips

Walt Disney World now is offering "Segway" hiking through its Fort Wilderness camping area. Disney, which has been testing Segway trips along its Fort Wilderness trails for about a year, announced the formal start of its "Wilderness Back Trail Adventures.... Read More »

September 20, 2007

Disney Park Attendance Expected To Break Records

More people visited Disney's U.S. theme parks in the last 12 months than any previous year in history, according to officials. The company said attendance numbers this year will likely surpass its record-breaking 2006 totals that were given a boost as the... Read More »

September 19, 2007

New attractions pay off for parks, Disney's Iger says

Walt Disney Co., the world's biggest theme-park operator, may post record attendance at its U.S. resorts this fiscal year as new attractions have lured more visitors, Chief Executive Officer Robert Iger said Tuesday. Attendance in fiscal 2007, which ends... Read More »

September 05, 2007

Parking costs more at Disney

Walt Disney World raised parking rates to $11 a car at its four theme parks this past weekend. The increase brings parking-lot rates for the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Animal Kingdom and Disney-MGM Studios in line with those at Universal Orlando. Cars... Read More »

August 08, 2007

Disney announces another year of a million dreams

As Walt Disney World moved from the millennial "2000 Celebration" to Walt Disney's birthday "100 Years of Magic" celebration to Disneyland's 50th anniversary "Happiest Celebration on Earth" to this year's "Year of a Million Dreams," it seems the celebrati... Read More »

August 03, 2007

Walt Disney World raising ticket price to $71

The price of magic goes up this weekend at Walt Disney World, where the basic adult ticket is climbing 6 percent to a record $71. Disney on Friday announced a whole range of new ticket prices that take effect Sunday. The price changes also affect the disc... Read More »

May 30, 2007

6 injured evacuating Kali River Rapids

Walt Disney World reopened the Kali River Rapids ride at Animal Kingdom about 4:15 p.m. Tuesday after six people were injured while they were being evacuated from the ride earlier in the day.... Read More »

May 02, 2007

Disney-owned hotels ban smoking

No more smoking or nonsmoking room options at Walt Disney World hotels. No more foul, secondhand smoke lingering in a room or wafting down a hallway. And no more last, quiet cigarette of the night out on the balcony, under a rising Florida moon.... Read More »

Walt Disney World's Expedition Everest and Believe at Sea World took Thea awards this year, from a trade association that represents the themed attraction industry.

The trade association, TEA, presents the awards to honor outstanding achievement in the creation of compelling places and experiences.

Expedition Everest, at Disney's Animal Kingdom, was honored as an outstanding attraction, while the killer-whale show Believe at three Sea World parks, including Orlando, was honored as an outstanding live show.

The THEA awards were presented at the association's 13th annual gala in Anaheim, Calif.

The Walt Disney Co. could extend its reach to more potential visitors with its idea of putting boutique hotels, dining and retail, as well as smaller theme parks, in major cities around the country, tourism experts said Thursday.

At an investors' conference Disney is holding this week, Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, told analysts that the future for Disney could include making deeply immersion-oriented Disney experiences more available to a broader range of people, pending high return on investment.

Walt Disney Co. launched its redesigned Web site Tuesday, arranging its vast array of content to make it easier to navigate while taking advantage of faster broadband connections.

The overhaul, Disney.com's first major redesign in more than five years, organizes the entertainment company's video, film and theme park content in a variety of ways.

"We created a site that allows you to navigate the Walt Disney Co. in whatever way is most comfortable for you," said Steve Parkis, vice president of premium content for Disney Online. "The top of the page is designed for adults, but there is a character world for kids at the bottom."

Following the record-breaking success of "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest," Walt Disney Pictures is giving high-priority status to another potential adventure franchise based on a Disneyland ride.
It is developing "Jungle Cruise," inspired by the ride in which parkgoers travel the jungle river guided by a riverboat skipper, encountering such wild creatures as piranhas and gorillas during their tour. The ride was one of the 22 original attractions when the park opened in 1955.

Little Nemo is making a big splash at Walt Disney World -- and at Disneyland.
Three years after the release of Pixar's animated blockbuster film Finding Nemo, the little cartoon fish and his friends are getting new rides at Epcot and Disneyland, a whole Epcot pavilion renamed for them, plus a new show at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Cruises, world tours of all Disney theme parks, Mickey Mouse ears, shopping sprees, nights in Cinderella Castle, time-share condominium leases, commemorative pins: These are a few of the things that Disney's million dreams are made of.
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts has announced 1,250,000 prizes with a combined value of more than $17.4 million that will be given away through Walt Disney World and Disneyland starting Oct. 1, when the company's 14-month "Year of a Million Dreams" campaign begins.

An upgrade on Disney's finger scanning technology implemented to prevent ticket fraud or resale is raising concerns from privacy advocates, according to Local 6 News.
For years, Walt Disney World has been reading the shape of visitors' fingers on its property. Now, the upgraded controversial finger scanning machines scan fingerprint information.

Two white rhinos took their first steps on African soil Thursday, officials said, after being flown into the country from a Disney theme park in Florida to boost stocks.
The couple, which have a combined weight of 5.5 tons, bring the number of endangered white rhinos in the country to just eight, wildlife officials told The Associated Press.

A 7 percent jump in attendance at Walt Disney World, strong performances by the movie Cars and several cable TV shows, and consumer product sales gave the Walt Disney Co. a big boost during the third quarter of its 2006 fiscal year.

Starting Sunday, the cost of a one-day ticket to any of Walt Disney World's four parks is going up to $67 -- a 6.3 percent increase, the largest since 1991.
The hike is the second time in eight months the resort has bumped the cost of admission and represents an increase of almost 12 percent since December and 22 percent since early 2004.

The Walt Disney Company hopes to keep the party going at its theme parks when it launches a new global advertising campaign this fall with the catch phrase "Where Dreams Come True."
The coming ad blitz -- which replaces the company's successful 50th birthday of Disneyland campaign -- aims to capture "moments of transformation" that happen to people at the iconic parks, such as when a little girl meets a princess, Jay Rasulo, chairman of Disney's parks and resorts unit, said at a media event to announce the new campaign.
At its two U.S. parks, Disney will launch the "Year of a Million Dreams" celebration in October, where visitors will be randomly awarded "dreams" such as a night in the Mickey Mouse Penthouse at Disneyland or private meetings with Disney characters.
To kick off the U.S. promotion, one family will be chosen for a VIP visit in October to the Magic Kingdom park in Orlando, Florida where they will have the resort all to themselves.

Strong television ratings and increased theme park attendance helped profit at The Walt Disney Co. rise 19 percent in the second quarter, although the media conglomerate did report a drop in earnings at its film studio...Attendance at Disneyland in California grew 15 percent in the quarter as the theme park's 50th anniversary celebration winds down. Attendance at Walt Disney World in Florida rose a more modest 3 percent, Disney said.

Robert Iger, president and chief executive officer of The Walt Disney Co., said the Orlando area will be the beneficiary, as Walt Disney World Resort continues to grow through its synergy with animated and live-action films.

Beth Stevens, 46, is head of Walt Disney World's Animal Kingdom and just oversaw installation of the newest megaride, Expedition Everest. In addition to running the 5,000-acre theme park that last year drew 8.2 million visitors, the Disney World vice president is internationally active in wildlife conservation and president of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association.